The Proposal
by galaxyandstars
Summary: AU. Kinomoto Sakura worked hard. She worked so hard for 2 years under her boss, Li Syaoran, that she hasn't seen her family in that time. When Li Syaoran lands in hot water with the immigration in Japan, he hatches a plan that is going to change his perspective about his secretary/assistant, Sakura and how he views the world. Based on the movie, The Proposal.
1. The Dilemma

**Chapter: 1** **  
** **The Dilemma**

At 5 AM on the dot, the alarm started to commence its shrill ringing. The Sun has not yet even grace its presence on the inhabitants of the Earth, yet, the incessant unpleasant ringing had stopped almost the same time it had started.

A figure got out of bed, and trudged towards the bathroom after untangling from the sheets that confined him to the bed. Sleep had blurred his vision as he came face to face with his reflection. Despite not being completely awake, his body performed his duties – from squirting out remnants of a rolled up and almost finished tube of toothpaste to mechanically brushing his teeth. When he finished, he washed his face and walked out to his gym in his luxurious loft.

On to a clear space set specifically for this morning workout, Li Xiao Lang crouched and began practising his martial arts. His breathing synchronised with his movements – each breath he exhaled had matched a move – his shifts were executed with finesse. His eyes gleamed with determination; any traces of sleep had vanished with each shove and push. Within an hour, the sun rays had finally began peaking in to the dark rooms of his lavish apartment and taking as a signal, he dragged himself to the bathroom again to shower.

Xiao Lang soon emerged from the bathroom, with a towel in hand, drying off his messy brown hair while he walked to his living room, turning on the television and strode to his little kitchen to make himself some breakfast. His ears picked up the tidbits of the news and the weather forecast which predicted rain throughout the day. Once he finished, he put his plate down onto the sink, silently vowing to wash it himself when he got home from work.

Looking at the wall clock, adjacent to his wall-mounted television, it was finally time to leave for work. He dressed up immaculately with his designer suit and walked out his empty apartment, armed with his trusty briefcase. His hand darted to his pocket and brought out his sleek cell phone. With a tapping of a number he knew by heart, he greeted and continued on his conversation in Chinese while approaching his chauffeured vehicle.

With a stare, he motioned his chauffeur to go to their allocated destination while he engaged in a conversation in his native tongue.

* * *

Kinomoto Sakura didn't start the day well – her alarm clock had failed to wake her up 3 hours before she actually had to go to work and she may have injured herself already. She ran in her heels, pushing and moving through the crowds during rush hour to reach the coffee shop so she could get her boss's coffee. She may have been the assistant, but she felt more like his lackey. She sighed, the events of just an hour ago came back to her: she had jumped out of the bed and hit her head, managed to slip in the bathroom due to the rushing and not to mention, burnt her toast.

She entered the coffee shop and frantically cut into the line – she was greeted with glares of tired minds of the general public.

"Sakura!" A girl motioned her to the table with her order – smiling brightly as she handed her tray to the girl, ready to be swept away. The table was littered with different manuscripts and letters, the brown haired girl waved back to her friend while pushing her glasses towards the bridge of her nose.

"Thanks Naoko, I owe you one!" replied Sakura to her friend, while scrambling back to the entrance with the tray of coffee in her hands.

"Sometimes I don't understand that girl," Naoko sighed to herself before going back to reading the manuscript sprawled in front of her.

Sakura thanked her lucky stars, her friend had helped her and managed to make her save some time. She waited for the pedestrian signal to turn green and dashed off to the entrance to her workplace, trying not to spill any coffee on the ground, or rather herself.

Her heels managed to make a minimum of noise as she jolted towards the closing elevator doors, slammed her body through the decreasing opening and finally got in, and smiled. Noticing the eyes of the other occupants of the elevator on her, "I am fine," she beamed as the doors finally closed.

As soon as the elevator stopped at Sakura's destination, she heard the receptionist, a middle aged, immaculately dressed woman, Asuna, barely fazed by Sakura's stumbling actions mumbling, "You barely made it, he isn't here yet." Sakura walked past her and made a beeline for her desk – the coffee cups were intact. _Almost._

Slamming into someone was definitely not a part of her plans. Spilling coffee on her white shirt was definitely not what she planning to do today. She muttered profanities under her breath when she felt her skin burn when the coffee seeped through her shirt. "I am sorry, Yuri," Sakura managed to say amidst the pain. Yagami Yuri had been startled and looking at the poor girl's outfit, she pulled her colleague up and smiled.

"I am so sorry! Come on with me, Sakura, I have a spare shirt in my desk," Yuri said, while walking to her desk to bring out a shopping bag and handing it to her colleague. "Thank you so much, Yuri, at least I saved his coffee," Sakura replied, walking towards her boss's room, placing the unspilled coffee on his desk and heading to the bathroom to change into the shirt Yuri lent to her.

As soon as she walked to her desk, the office messaging system on her computer beeped and she read the one line that had changed the office atmosphere from a lax and relaxed state to a tense and busy one:

 _He is here._

With her notes and materials in hand, Sakura waited next to his door, counting down how long his footsteps are going to reach his room. He had walked in and Sakura greeted her amber-eyed boss with obligatory greeting like she had for the past 2 years.

"Good Morning, Mr. Li."

* * *

"Good Morning, Mr. Li."

Li Xiao Lang had merely nodded at the greeting before passing by his secretary and into his room. He had noticed the coffee that had been placed on his desk – he took a few sips.

"Kinomoto, what is on the schedule for today?" He asked. He knew what he had for today, he needed to confirm everything once again at the beginning of the day. It was a system he had become accustomed to – he barely looked at his secretary while she spoke of meetings, important calls and all the deadlines they had to meet today. When she finished, he had merely waved his hand to dismiss her.

"Kinomoto, wait," he had merely said, his assistant stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.

"Yes, Li-sama?" Sakura asked in a professional tone, wondering what errand he would torture her with.

"Who is Naoko?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together while he waited for her answer. He had noticed that name on the coffee cup ever since he started sipping on it.

"Uh, Naoko is a friend of mine, she was the one who bought the coffees while I was late, sir." Sakura said, she had not checked the coffee cup before she had placed on his desk.

Li had chuckled to himself and got up from his chair, his eyes trained on the file Sakura had placed last night – "Call Kei in here please." Sakura nodded while she walked to her desk, calling Takamura Kei into the office. Takamura Kei was one of the head of marketing with a notorious reputation. It was a miracle that he had managed to stay in the Li Corporations for almost 3 years. One look towards him, Sakura could see what kind of a person he was, and the rumors that went around the office didn't help alleviate the man's reputation either. She knew why he had been called. He may have been a good worker at times, but he was a liability. Sakura could bet that he would be fired today. She just knew it.

Takamura Kei, a man with blue eyes and dyed blonde hair, dressed in a grey suit and a blue tie that accentuated his eyes – his face may have been handsome, but with a scowl permanently etched into his face, he had looked older than he actually was. Kei had not even acknowledged the girl but in fact, he had sauntered into the CEO's office like he was going to be rewarded. Sakura had sighed, and started to work on some pending proposals that had to be written up and handed to Li for approval.

Just as her boss had walked out of the office, Kei followed, his face red and eyes gleamed with anger. She and the other employees were working peacefully when they heard the sound of glass breaking and bellowing voice of Takamura Kei, who had been swearing at the CEO and his family, calling them tasteless names that even Sakura found disgusting.

"LISTEN HERE, SYAORAN LI. YOU OWE ME THIS COMPANY. I BROUGHT UP THE PROFITS, I'LL SUE YOU ALL!"

The entire floor was eerily quiet, the air felt still and the silence was bone chilling. Xiao Lang turned when he was addressed as Syaoran, and looked at him dead in the eye. His glare was menacing but Kei fumed and screamed, "I'll ruin you, just you wait!"

"Listen Kei, leave with whatever dignity you have left intact, or leave with an armed escort with horrible legal consequences," Syaoran said sharply, "In fact, if you don't walk away in 30 seconds, I'll ask Sakura here to videotape the whole thing and post it into that video website."

Sakura looked at her boss when he had mentioned her. She had a different sort of respect towards him but sometimes even he knew that she did not like him at all – she was tortured: she remembered the late night runs to the coffee shop on the other end of town, writing out drafts even though the tenders and pitches had deadlines for a later date. He was the reason that she hasn't been able to see her family for almost 2 years. She had so much work – it had been impossible to plan a visit or much less, spare a single day to drive an hour to her sleepy yet cozy hometown of Tomoeda. At least she had managed to get her leave for the weekend so that she was back with her family, celebrating her great-grandfather's birthday with him.

Kei had looked at Sakura and while her face was still etched in shock, he sauntered away to the exit, muttering to himself. The office had resumed its business once Kei had left. It was a very rare scene to watch an employee create a huge scene in front of the esteemed CEO.

"Kinomoto, ask someone from HR about Kei's workload, it looks like we are going to have to work overtime so we can get everything done as scheduled."

 _Wait, what_. Sakura looked at her boss with a stunned look on her face. He knitted his eyebrows together at her response, "Is something wrong, Ms. Kinomoto?" he asked.

"Li-sama, I have requested for a leave this weekend, I was actually thinking of going to my hometown for my grandfather's 80th birthday," Sakura replied. "Well, the request has now been denied. Overtime starting today, Kinomoto. I am sure you celebrated enough birthdays with your grandfather," he waved her off, and walked back to his office and closed the door.

Sakura clenched her fists tightly, her anger had been rising ever since the day had started and this decision had been the tipping point. However, she didn't have the guts like Kei did, she wanted to scream at the man who declined the request of a leave just like that when she had been asked for it since 3 months ago. Her day has been turning out far worse than she had imagined it – all she wanted to do today was finish up her tasks and then be merrily on her way home and pack for 2 days of escaping the tight grip of Tokyo and go back to her childhood home in the company of her friends and family.

"That jerk," Sakura murmured under her breath and stomped back to her desk. The telephone on her desk rung, and despite the little cloud of depression that had crept up on to the Sakura – making her emerald eyes duller and downcast, she picked up the receiver and forced her voice to perk up. "Hello, this is Li Corporations, how may I help you?"

" _Kaiju_ , it's me, just wanted to know when I should pick you up from the bus stop" the person from the other end had gruffly spoke.

"Hello to you too, Touya. I thought I told you not to call here – you could have waited till lunch," Sakura pouted immaturely, but hearing her brother's voice helped reduce the sadness she felt at that moment. She hadn't even retorted to her brother about calling her with that name – even at the age of 26, she would squabble with her brother like she had when she was 10 years old.

"To answer your question, I have to cancel, my boss is making me work the weekend. I am sure Grandfather will understand," Sakura continued. She knew her great-grandfather, who she lovingly called grandfather would understand, but she had really wanted to celebrate the 80th birthday with him so much – it was a milestone. They had barely had time to celebrate birthdays together – she remembered how Touya and she sent her grandfather presents when she was around 12 years old. They were estranged, but soon, they began to repair the relationship. She had met her great-grandfather before on holiday before that back then, but she didn't know about his identity then. She had remembered the dress he had given to her – it was her mother's. She had visited him every day until their holiday was over. 4 years later, when they met again, Sakura surprised his father and brother by saying that this was the man who had extended his generosity on her on that holiday. He was then an integral part of her life – her father, brother and great-grandfather.

"WHAT? This is no time for jokes, _kaiju_. We had a deal. We shouldn't have let you go to Tokyo," Touya grumbled – there it was, Touya had always held resentment when she applied for this job two years ago. It didn't help when her boss had overworked her and all the work didn't let her go home.

"We miss you. I know you see Tomoyo every other week whenever she goes to Tokyo, but dad hasn't seen you in a year. We haven't had a Christmas meal for almost 2 years. Just, who does that _gaki_ think he is?" Touya spit out. Sakura didn't know how to reply. It was true, she hasn't seen her father for a year – he had been busy with archeological digs and had been away for a long period of time and he hasn't visited Tokyo for a while – except to Narita Airport and back home. She missed his home cooked meals. She truly did want to go home.

"Kinomoto, call Hyuuga-san and tell him that we are going to have the meeting pushed to 5 pm instead, Meiling wants to attend it. Take this to HR right now." Syaoran told the girl after opening the door and placing a file on her desk. At the same time, " _Hai,_ Li-sama." She breathed out as she leaped from her chair. "Touya, I'll call you back when I am done with work. Yes, I am not coming for the 80th birthday. Goodbye." she managed to say on to the receiver before finally standing up and placing the receiver back to its original place. She could feel her boss's gaze on her and she knew he had heard what she had said over the phone. She grabbed the files and went straight to the HR department – a few floors down her floor. When she had returned, it seemed like Syaoran hadn't moved from his spot – rather, he leaned on the wall and looked like he was observing the entire floor from the same spot.

Sakura silently went back to her desk, punching in Hyuuga Mika's number and relayed the same information her boss had presented just merely a few minutes ago.

"You know, Kinomoto, I didn't give you this time to chat with your friends," Syaoran said before he walked into his office again. Sakura was shocked at what he had said. She would have given him a piece of her mind if the phone hadn't started ringing right then.

"Kinomoto, please send Syaoran to the conference room, the President wants to talk to him."

Sakura once again stood up, knocked on the glass door and poked her head in, "Li-sama, the President wants to see you in the conference room urgently." Upon the mention of the President, Syaoran's head shot up from the file he was reading and he got up. "Be sure to get me out of there in 10 minutes, Kinomoto, we have a lot of work to do," he dismissed his secretary with a short wave and walked to the conference room to greet the President of Li Corp, his mother, Li Yelan.

* * *

Li Yelan had been seated in the conference room with her niece, Li Meiling, waiting for her son's arrival. After his ascension as the heir and CEO of Li Corporations, she had just kept the title of President of the company. Her face was marred with stress, although she had neared the age of 50, she was ever so youthful, with her black flowing hair, red lips and pale face – however, if you managed to squint closely, you'd see the presence of age. She still looked like a regal queen of a dynasty. Her niece, Li Meiling, looked much more like her than her biological son and daughters – whom had managed to look like their father – with their hair and eyes.

She could see his son's shadow signalling that he was walking towards their room. The documents near her had alarmed her a lot – she knew she could pull some strings but she needed some leverage to ask her son to do what she wanted.

"Mother." Syaoran greeted stiffly when he entered the bright conference room.

"Xiao Lang, I hear you are handling your work really well, good job," Yelan said. The diplomacy in her voice sometimes made her son stiffen but her years at the company had trained her to be this way. This was the easiest way to break bad news.

"I am sure you haven't called me in here to compliment my work, mother." Syaoran replied, his gaze on her didn't falter. "Can I ask why I have been called here?" he asked. Syaoran had noticed his otherwise engaging cousin had been quiet the entire time. This meant that there was something wrong.

"Xiao Lang, remember that you weren't supposed to leave Japan because your visa was being processed?" Yelan started. "Of course, I do. I did have to leave for Hong Kong during that time period because of that Ryuzaki problem. What's it got to do with that, mother?" Syaoran explained.

"Well, Syaoran, the thing is your work visa has been denied and so, pack your bags, you are going back to Hong Kong" Meiling stated. "I thought the lawyers handled it, what is wrong with them?" Syaoran declared angrily, his fists clenched tightly.

"I told them not to work on them, Xiao Lang, after all, your sister Fei Mei could have handled this on her own," Yelan articulated. "You have to reapply and wait for the visa application again, until then, Meiling will be taking over the operations here, Xiao Lang." Yelan declared, her eyes trained on her angry son. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door. It opened and an auburn haired woman with intense emerald eyes peered in. "Li-sama, there is a Mary Smith wanting to talk to you urgently. If you want, I can tell them you are in engaged in something else," she squeaked when she noticed both the ladies' eyes were trained on her.

"Excuse me, but you can't barge in here like that!" Meiling started, however she had quieted down when Syaoran glared at her. Upon hearing what his secretary had said, his brain formulated a plan. A plan that was both stupid and risky. A plan that can save him from going back to Hong Kong.

"Kinomoto, come inside please," Syaoran uttered, motioning her to join them into the room. Sakura was confused, she had to follow orders and so, she had entered, bowing in respect to the President.

"Mother, I know the dilemma we are in but I have something to say," Syaoran mentioned while backing towards Sakura until they were both next to each other.

"What is it, Xiao Lang?" Yelan asked, calmly.

"Well, mother, Kinomoto and I, I mean, Sakura and I," Syaoran started. His eyes went to his assistant and in front of his mother and cousin, he held her hand and spoke the words that astonished Sakura and the ladies with him.

"Mother, we are getting married."

* * *

Well, that's it for the first chapter, I hope you like it.  
This happens to be my first fanfiction on this site(a very overdue one) and this idea has been stuck in my brain for a while. I would like to thank my friend, **ivory-sword** for looking at this and giving me the encouragement to post it! If you are into the Avengers and Merlin, she has amazing stories up her sleeves.

As you can tell, this is going to be an AU and is _sorta_ based on the movie, The Proposal. I have taken liberties with certain information and also, managed to put in Japanese whenever I could in order to stay true to the characters. I'd love to know what you think of the chapter.

Till next time!  
(21st May 2016)


	2. The Blackmail

**Chapter 2:  
The Blackmail**

" _Mother, we are getting married."_

Sakura was dumbfounded and terrified. When she had heard those words come out of her boss's mouth – she just froze. She felt his hand envelop hers, and it took her _almost_ all her willpower to not to recoil her hand away from his. She wanted to know what gears were turning in her boss's mind as she faced the majestic and qualified, President Li Yelan, and her other superior, Li Meiling who had similar expressions like her.

"I don't believe it, Syaoran! What do you mean you are getting married?" Meiling broke the silence. Syaoran had turned his attention to his cousin.

"You heard me, Meiling." Syaoran said. He could see his mother and his assistant looking at him for an explanation. "Isn't she your secretary, Syaoran?" Meiling asked, giving Sakura an once-over. "Yes. Yes, she is," Syaoran started, "It is just titles, dear cousin. It's not the first time one of us fell for our secretaries, Meiling." He knew that he hit the nail in the head with that one. His mother had approved the eldest Li daughter, Fuutie to marry her secretary almost 6 years ago.

"Explain, Xiao Lang," his mother breathed out – she was curious about the development of this relationship. She too looked at Sakura, noting the surprised look on her face.

"Well, Mother. You can say that all those late nights in the office and deadlines. _Something happened_." Syaoran spoke, hoping there were no changes in his tone while he spoke to his strict mother. It didn't matter if she was the President of the Corporation because right now, she was Li Yelan, Syaoran's mother.

"Why didn't you tell us in the first place?" Yelan asked, her voice softened. Syaoran sensed her tone and guilt overcame him. He didn't want to betray her but it was necessary. His 3 years of hard work was at stake – he had to lie. "Mother, I wanted to, but it would call into everything I did into question. Not to mention, I didn't want to subject Sakura to rumors that go around the place." Syaoran said, clutching Sakura's hand tighter. "We wanted to wait till her contract was over," he finished.

"Xiao Lang, if this is true, you should have told us about this." Yelan huffed, her eyes narrowing at her son. Syaoran felt a shiver run down his spine; he had an inkling that whatever they were talking in here would leave the room with them.

"I am sorry, Mother. We wanted to tell you at the right time," Syaoran apologized. He bowed respectfully to his mother. Sakura just stood here, processing everything that happened before her. Her hand was still held by her boss, the President and her other superior had been gawking at her.

"About this visa, I think I'll give the lawyer a call and tell them about your situation. We will find a course of action to your problem. I'll see you in my office in an hour then to discuss everything, Xiao Lang," Yelan replied. Syaoran nodded, he knew he would now get some leeway with this ruse of his. "You two may go now." Yelan concluded. Both Sakura and Syaoran bowed to her and head towards the door.

"Sakura, is it? Do you have anything to say before you leave?" Yelan started, curious to how the auburn haired girl might act.

Sakura, startled by the words addressed to her, stopped walking. She looked at her boss and felt his fingers brush across her hand, as if trying to get a message through. She knew what he wanted her to say. Before she left the room with her boss, Sakura managed to squeak out.

"Mrs. Li, we are just two people who weren't meant to fall in love but did. Thank you for understanding."

* * *

Sakura had never been this frightened in her life. She just lied to her superiors. Just as she had exited and closed the door of the conference room after her, her boss let go of her hand and walked back to his room. She walked behind him, following him to her desk. Her brain was not able to process what just happened in that conference room. She was just following orders. What had just happened?

Her boss had walked further away – she was stuck in a daze. As she walked back to her desk, she passed Asuna who looked like she had heard the strangest news ever. Asuna looked at Sakura with a stunned expression, Sakura didn't care and walked by. When she entered the area where she had stained her shirt earlier in the morning, she could hear the whispers that had erupted around her.

Sakura did not even notice the looks she was given by her colleagues: most were looks of astonishment, but some looks were marred with betrayal and jealousy. It confused her. The conversation she witnessed in that conference room still zoomed throughout her head.

When she had finally reached her desk, she looked at her now bright computer screen. There was the office messaging system with one message:

 _Did you know that Sakura and Li are getting married? I didn't even know they were dating._

Dating.

Married.

Sakura and Li.

It was then she registered what happened to her. She got up and stomped up to _Li-sama's_ office. She closed the door behind her and Syaoran had looked at her like she had committed murder and placed the blame on him. "What do you mean by we are getting married, Li?" Sakura spit out, honorifics had gone out the window. Her thoughts were still zooming by, she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience.

Syaoran fiddled through some papers and placed them into their respective folders. "Relax, Kinomoto, it was also for you too," Syaoran said.

"I do not understand. Do explain it to me," Sakura replied, her frown was visibly showing up on her face.

"Well, they were going to make Meiling take over the branch," Syaoran said.

"So naturally, I have to marry you?"

"What's the problem? Do you have a boyfriend I should know about?"

"N-no! What I mean to say that this is illegal!" Sakura stammered. Syaoran had stopped arranging the files and looked her in the eyes. "I don't think the CEO of Li Corporations is of any danger to the country of Japan. But for you, well, this means that once I am gone, there isn't any guarantee that you are going to last here long," he replied.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kinomoto, if I go back to Hong Kong, I reinstate my old secretary. I won't have any use for you anymore. So the chances are that you are going to be fired."

"I am not going to marry you, Li."

"Sure you are, Kinomoto. Didn't you say you wanted to be the head of the marketing department? Even if you don't become one here, the chances to be one in other places are as good as dead. This means that you will be out there looking for a job." Sakura was shocked by his words.

Syaoran continued when he had noticed his secretary's reaction, "That means, all the coffee runs, the late night shifts and not to mention, the two years we worked together. It would all be for nothing and your dreams would be gone." Sakura was clenching her fists so hard. Each word he had let out from his mouth had made her angrier and angrier.

Syaoran smirked, "Don't worry, Kinomoto. After the required amount of time, we will get divorced and then you will be done with me. But until then, you are now my fiancée, okay _, darling_?"

It was then the phone started ringing, otherwise, Sakura would have done something worse to her boss.

"Kinomoto, get the phone."

"Jerk," Sakura muttered under her breath. She had turned on her heels and walked out of his office, slamming the glass door behind her. Syaoran smirked – he had enjoyed getting her so worked up. He had made up most of the things he had said but he owed her his life.

* * *

Meiling hadn't spoken a word, but she knew that the behavior her cousin currently displayed was very suspicious. She knew what his motive was – it was an automatic assumption, but it was easy to know what her cousin's priorities are.

Meiling had known that Syaoran probably knew that his reason to stay in Japan was a selfish one. He had his mind set on making the business's Japanese counterpart as strong as its other counterparts. Meiling knew he needed one more year to do so.

She also understood why he wasn't going to agree to his mother's conditions and let her take over temporarily. Meiling was proud of her cousin – although his methods to stop this had been a stupid and desperate one, _however_ he had definitely retained Meiling's respect.

Meiling inhaled in air and forcefully exhaled it all out of out of her body. She knew that Syaoran had a plan, but she was worried. She was worried about the other innocent and probably unwilling participant of his plan.

Meiling had been in her little temporary cabin on the other wing of the building. It was near the conference room and well, a long walk away from Syaoran's room. Her aunt's cabin was opposite to her and her one was marked "Li Yelan. President." It was probably made for her and strategically placed away from her son's. Meiling stretched and walked out of her room and to her aunt's door, knocking once. _I wonder if she is thinking the same thing I am,_ Meiling wondered. She knew that her aunt would have considered that this was a ploy, but Sakura's sentence had probably changed her mind. _Only one way to find out,_ Meiling thought as she had heard her aunt telling her to enter.

Li Yelan had a pensive look on her face. Meiling took a seat next in front of her, trying to enter into the mindset that her aunt had possessed.

"Do you think this is a plan to not leave Japan, Meiling?" Meiling looked to the old woman, her words were soft and her eyes bore into her soul. Meiling could guess that she knew why her son would even retort to such an idea.

"I don't know, Auntie, I just don't know." Meiling admitted.

"He wants to prove to the world that he is capable as they expect him to be," Yelan muttered. She looked at the file placed right in front of her. There was a picture attached to the file – a girl with auburn hair and emerald eyes staring straight with a smile on her face. "Do you think you can keep an eye on them, Meiling? I think I am going back to Hong Kong in a few days and I want to be reassured."

Having stayed with her aunt and cousins ever since she was a kid, she could predict her aunt's movements somewhat, and she anticipated some kind of request. "Of course, Auntie, just count on me!" She smiled, her ruby eyes gleaming. Yelan could now breathe easy.

* * *

Sakura sighed; she could feel the eyes on her back. She had walked down to the cafeteria to get some food and have some sort of relaxation from this horrible day. Alas, it wasn't possible. She could still hear the hushed whispers from the tables around her. Some people were just bluntly staring at her and then pretending to look at something else when she met their eyes.

Sakura was frustrated. On top of the injuries she had gotten when rushing to work; the burnt toast she had eaten for breakfast; the stained shirt she had gotten; the _whole_ conference room incident and not to mention, the threats Li had given her. She could officially deem that it was the worst day of her life. She had a feeling that as the day progressed, she would want to descend to hell to spare _Kami-sama_ the decision of her fate.

Yuri had sat down opposite her, taking out a bento and chopsticks. Sakura groaned; she knew what was to come. "So you and Li- _sama?_ " Yuri began, pushing a morsel of chicken to her mouth and waited for Sakura to answer.

"I'd rather not talk about that, Yuri." Sakura sighed, letting her head rest on the table, next to the scraps of plastic and breadcrumbs.

"A lot of it is rumor but honestly, I really think you two look good together." Yuri smiled at Sakura when her head shot up to face Yuri. "If you don't want to talk about it, it is fine, Sakura. I can guess you are having a bad day, but let me keep you company," Yuri said. Sakura smiled in gratitude, looking at her co-worker. She had reminded her of Tomoyo. Sakura's breathing hitched.

Thinking of Tomoyo made her homesick. Although they ended up meeting each other in the streets of Tokyo and in cafes, it felt like they never spend enough time with each other. Before they know it, the time for goodbyes would arrive and both would go their separate ways. Tomoyo would visit Tokyo to help out her mother's company, Daidouji Toys and also establish her fashion line, Daidouji Designs and then go back to Tomoeda. She missed Tomoyo, and she knew she would call her when she got home today. Talking to her made Sakura feel better.

"I think I am going to head up to my desk, Yuri, thank you so much for keeping me company and for the shirt," Sakura said, pushing herself out of the chair, gathering the plastic wrap and crumbs and dumping them into the trashcan. She dusted off her hands to get rid of the residue of the food she had. She waved to her new friend and walked to the elevator.

She didn't mind the whispers about her right now – she had to work. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button that indicated her floor. She tensed amidst the crowd in the elevator. They were all staring at her. Each second that passed seemed longer, and she willed herself to look at the number of floors on the screen. The elevator had stopped a few times, vacating some of its occupants. When the elevator stopped on Sakura's floor and she walked out, she let out a breath of relief.

On her way to her desk, she passed by her boss, who had walked to the other wing of the building. She was thankful that she didn't have to face him now; she needed strength. She knew why he had walked to the other wing: to meet his mother, Li Yelan, and to discuss the "situation".

Sakura shook her head, trying to clear it from wandering thoughts and sat down on her station. She looked at the new piles of files placed on her desk with a post-it labelled " _Takamura Kei- work on a report_ ". She internally groaned and flipped the file open. Taking her pink mechanical pencil, she began to mark the points she believed were necessary and scanned through for vital information throughout the page. She had used the pad of paper that she had reserved for cases like this – jotting down notes and symbols.

Kinomoto Sakura worked hard. It reflected in almost all her drafts of different proposals. She had a system – although different than Li's. While Syaoran used mental lists when tackling different aspects of the business, Sakura wrote down notes and symbols. She sometimes used highlighters but it was for special cases. She would be absorbed in her work and sometimes stay past her allocated end time. Sometimes Li would have to chase her away when she would finally notice him standing there when he had finished with his shift.

"Kinomoto, time to leave," Syaoran said. This startled Sakura, and she jumped up, looking like a deer in the headlights. She looked at the clock. It had been an hour since she sat down on her desk but nowhere near closing time. She had a questioning expression on her face, and Syaoran continued, "We have to cut the day short by going to the immigration office today. We do not have time."

With that said, Sakura merely nodded and took her jacket and purse and walked behind her boss. She wanted to ask about the remaining meeting that was scheduled for today, but she guessed that they were probably going to be attended by Li Meiling and her secretary instead.

Both of them entered the elevator. It was not as crowded as during lunch, but when the elevator stopped on floors, they met with different employees with shocked looks on their faces. When they had reached the lobby, Syaoran motioned her to follow her. Sakura rolled her eyes; of course she expected him to do that.

The car was waiting for Syaoran and a chauffeur remained by the open car door, awaiting the entrance of the businessman into the vehicle.

"Get in, Kinomoto," Syaoran said curtly.

" _Hai,"_ Sakura breathed out and entered the vehicle, returning the smile that the chauffeur had given her.

 _This is going to be a long drive,_ thought Sakura when she seated right next to Syaoran.

Within 30 minutes, the car had stopped at the entrance of one of the buildings. Sakura was relieved. It had been an awkward car ride. Syaoran had exited the vehicle and told the chauffeur that he would be called when needed. He waved to a man in a black suit who strolled towards him, greeting him with a handshake and Sakura with a smile. The men then proceeded to walk into the building with Sakura in tow.

* * *

"Sakura, this is Urameshi Haru- _san_. He is my immigration lawyer," Syaoran introduced the two. Sakura muttered her greetings at the man and bowed in respect. Urameshi Haru was the best immigration lawyer in the business, a prodigy and not too bad looking. His black hair complimented his dark brown eyes, and he had a 5 o'clock shadow. It had suited him.

"So, this is the soon-to-be Mrs., Li? I am definitely jealous," Haru joked to his client, who he noticed had bared his teeth at him. Sakura had been oblivious to the scowl her boss had sent to the lawyer; she smiled at the statement. "Well, we should be prepared, Li-san, immigration is a tough business, but you got me," Haru said with a dazzling smile. Syaoran just nodded and followed the lawyer into the elevator.

When they had reached the immigration office, there were people seated on tandem slings. There was a small line in front of the reception and there were little sections with numbers allocated to them. There was a little screen that showed which station was tending to which serial number. Haru had merely pointed them towards a tandem sling and then left them to collect a number from the machine.

"Li-san, we are going to be lucky number 777," Haru chirped up, taking a seat across them in another tandem sling and made them sign some documents needed. Sakura looked at the screen that was lit with red. She saw that the screen showed numbers in the 600 region. She sighed, _this is going to be a long wait._

Sakura looked around – she was interested in people watching at that moment. She would be interested in anything in order to be distracted from the two talking figures that were accompanying her. It was just as she had expected: people of different nationalities seated in their individual seats on the tandem slings. She had noted that majority were _gaijin_ , probably extending their visas like her boss or even applying for citizenship. She could hear the dings that brought her attention to the screen again, watching the numbers gradually changing closer and closer to their number.

When the ding sounded and it was finally their number – the trio had stood up and walked towards their allocated station number. A middle aged lady accepted the documents and turned the pages over. She paused to look at them and was genuinely surprised. It was expected: Li Xiao Lang was an accomplished businessman, bordering on world famous. Urameshi Haru was the best known immigration lawyer. Kinomoto Sakura was just Kinomoto Sakura. The woman had politely excused herself, leaving her station with their documents in her hands and went into one of the rooms inside. She had exited the room almost immediately and then got out to escort them into another room, telling them to sit comfortably before exiting the room.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Li," Sakura muttered to her boss. Just then, an elderly man knocked on the door and then entered in. "Hello, my name is Kaidou Kazuma. Haru, it has been a while!" the man exclaimed. Both Sakura and Syaoran stood upon him entering while Haru had met the man in a friendly handshake. "It is an honor, Li-sama. You have done some wonderful things for Japan. Nice to meet you too, madam. Please sit," Kazuma said before sitting down before them. "I hope I haven't been making you wait long," he said.

Kaidou Kazuma had a warm smile etched on his face. He seemed like he was into his early 60s. He had patches of gray enveloped his black hair, and he had gray eyes that seemed glassy because of the bulky spectacles he wore. He looked at the file, and studied what the developments were. Haru remained standing next to his clients, smiling at the senior.

"No, we completely understand. I can't tell you how much we appreciate you seeing us on such short notice, Kaidou- _sama,_ " Syaoran said, trying to butter up the man with his charm. Sakura noticed the change in his pitch and rolled her eyes.

"I hope you don't mind, Li- _sama_. But I have one question for you – are you both committing fraud to avoid Li- _sama's_ deportation so he can work in Japan?" Kazuma coolly asked. The bluntness of the words he spoke had startled both Sakura and Syaoran; Haru had an astonished look on his face – he had not expected that.

"That is ridiculous, Kaidou- _sama,"_ Haru chuckled, answering for them. "Where did you hear that?" Haru asked.

"Well, Haru. We had a phone tip this afternoon from a man named Takamura Kei-san." Kazuma had directed his attention to the lawyer. Syaoran stiffened, he should have taken the words of his ex-employee more seriously.

"Kaidou- _sama,_ Takamura Kei was just fired this morning. He had threatened to ruin me – he is nothing but a disgruntled former employee," Syaoran stated. "I apologize for this. I know you are extremely busy with other matters, Kaidou-sama, but if you could let us know what our next steps are – it will be appreciated," Haru politely stated, trying to control the situation.

"Haru, you know the process that is about to unfold. Step one – a scheduled interview. We will put you each in a room and ask every questions a couple _should_ know about each other," Kaidou stated – his friendly demeanor had faded considerably over a matter of minutes. "Step two – we look at phone records, we talk to neighbors and interview the co-workers, in this case, your employees, Li- _sama_ ," Kazuma continued. "However if any answers do not match up at any point during the interview, then the normal scenario is: Li- _sama_ , pardon me, but you will be deported indefinitely. While madam will have committed a felony, punishable by a fine of _a_ _million yen_ and jail time of minimum of 5 years."

This made both uneasy. "But I trust you both and Haru here," Kazuma spoke up, his friendly attitude appearing once again. Chills run down Sakura's spine; this had unwittingly triggered her conscience. She was scared. Very terrified.

"Madam, is something wrong? Do you have something to say to me?" Kazuma asked with concern. He had noted the change in the air.

"No, Kaidou-sama, no problem at all," Sakura had managed to say normally. She threw in a smile to reassure the old man in order to get rid of his suspicions. "It's just that—" Sakura started, but stopped when she saw the glare Syaoran had threw at her.

"What is it, mam?" Kazuma pressed.

"It's that we couldn't tell anyone we worked with until my contract was over. We both felt that it would be inappropriate to talk about our relationship if I was his assistant," Sakura said, the glare she had received from her boss had faded to a slight smirk. She was thankful to _Kami-sama_ that she remembered the entire conversation that had happened in the conference room.

"I see, mam. Did you both tell your parents about this?" Kazuma pushed. He was genuinely curious to this now – and it seemed appropriate to know. In fact, he would like to know about the love story of the famous businessman and the unknown but beautiful secretary. It was the same old format to him – a man of power would always fall for a woman that had helped him reach the position. It was a cliché but each story was unique.

Haru listened in too, Li Yelan had called him up merely hours ago, informing him about the situation but he was also curious of how a woman had finally captured the tycoon's heart. He was under a non-disclosure agreement anyway, so he wouldn't even think of blabbing it to the gossip-hungry media. He still remained standing, feeling more like a prop but he knew when to interfere, but for now, the couple were handling themselves _wonderfully._

"Yes, my mother knows about this," Syaoran stated. Kazuma darted his eyes to Sakura, who had stiffened when she noticed the old man staring. "Actually, we are going to tell her family this weekend, Kaidou-sama. It is Grandfather's 80th birthday and all her friends and family are coming together. We thought it would be a fitting surprise," Syaoran interjected. Upon the mention of her grandfather's birthday, Sakura pointed her head in Syaoran's direction.

"So, where is this surprise taking place?" Haru asked, his curiosity had taken over his senses. He immediately shut up when he saw the cold glower Syaoran was giving him.

" _Darling,_ why am I doing all the talking? Tell them where it is," Syaoran requested, taking her hand and stroking it in front of their audience. At this act, Sakura spoke up, trying not to remove her hand from the clutches of her boss.

"The surprise is going to take place in Tomoeda, sir."

"Where is Tomoeda, exactly mam?" Kazuma asked.

Sakura beamed. "It is just an hour away, sir."

"Well, Li- _sama_ , I shall let you know of an exact date for the interview. Here is a file with the questions that _could_ be asked – I hope this helps. I know your work visa ends in a month or so, so not to worry." Kazuma beamed, getting up from the chair, and leaning in across the table to shake hands with them. He handed the file to Haru.

"Well, I hope you have a pleasant day and enjoy your weekend. I am sure Tomoeda will peak your interest, Li- _sama_." Kazuma beamed and walked towards the door.

"I shall see you three soon. Haru, I shall let you know." With that spoken, Kazuma had left the room.

Sakura removed her hand from Syaoran's, catching his attention. Haru had excused himself to talk to Kazuma again so, they were alone. "I guess my request for a leave has been approved, Li- _sama_?" Sakura asked innocently, raising an eyebrow defiantly.

"Yes, Kinomoto," Syaoran grumbled. But his expression changed to a smirk and he continued, _"We are going to Tomoeda."_

* * *

Well, that's it for chapter two!  
I have been jumping for joy when I had seen all the follows, favorites and reviews. Thank you guys so much! You really don't know how much this means to me. I still have a smile on my face whenever I get emails notifying me if people read it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I'd love to know what you guys think via reviews or any type of messaging. Also, do let me know if there is any Japanese terminologies I used that you may have not known. I do explain or hint towards what it means but if you want, I'll start adding translations on this author's note section of the story!

I do have the _Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles's_ opening theme song stuck in my head, so you can guess. I even bought the mangas for it, I am going to be collecting them over this year. I am excited. Also, there is a new anime project regarding _Cardcaptor Sakura_ as well as a new manga releasing in a few days! I need more Syaoran and Sakura. OTP. I can't wait.

I hope this chapter has helped. Again, this story is sort of based on the movie, The Proposal.

Until next time!  
(29th May 2016.)


	3. The Proposal

**Chapter: 3  
The Proposal**

" _We are going to Tomoeda."_

Sakura's mood had considerably lifted with these words. She beamed at her boss, who was confused by her reaction. Sakura stood up and headed out the door with Syaoran in tow practically skipping out of the room, giddy with excitement. A smile had plastered on her face – it had even lit up her emerald eyes, causing them to shine brighter.

Syaoran noticed the changes in Sakura when he had uttered those words to her. The smile had crept on her face, changing her attitude. Simply, the air around them had changed: it bore none of the tension that had covered the room a few moments ago. His mouth gaped. She seemed different and he could see that the change was agreeable with her.

Haru met up with the pair on the way to the elevator. "Back to the office, Li- _san?"_ Haru asked.

"Yes, I still have to talk to the President about some issues that need to be addressed before she leaves," Syaoran answered, his attention on the cell phone. Sakura was oblivious to the conversation; her mind still raced with excitement and giddiness about going back to Tomoeda. "Oh, I see, I have talked to Kaidou- _sama,_ I warn you, he is notorious for his surprise visits," Haru stated, making Syaoran's head shoot up and focus all his attention towards him.

"What do you mean by surprise visits, Urameshi?" Syaoran snapped, bringing Sakura back to reality as she listened to their conversation.

"Well, usually, Li- _san._ He schedules visits to people in rare situations like these. He is very diligent about his work. He said it lets him observe them in their natural habitat, if that makes sense," Haru explained, his hand waving in front of the two like a middle school teacher. "He told me to mention it to you two. This is a good thing honestly. This means that he likes the two of you," Haru continued, a smile on his face.

Sakura was observing the two men right in front of her. The elevator dinged to indicate its arrival and the trio filed in. The elevator was otherwise empty. She brought her attention to Syaoran. She could see his frustrations as clear as day – his fists clenched, his body stiff while he conversed with the lawyer, his curt nods. Two years with that man and she could read him like a book. She barely listened to whatever Haru had mentioned to Syaoran in the enclosed machine they were currently in. Instead, she kept her eyes on her boss and the screen that indicated what floor they were descending through. As soon as they arrived at the reception, Haru turned to her, beaming and shaking her hand once again. "Good luck with this, I shall help you two with every step of the way. I do hope I get an invitation to the wedding!" Haru said, making Sakura very rigid. Syaoran's eyes were trained on her during that moment.

"Well, Li- _san,_ I'll see you on Monday morning, have fun in Tomoeda! You too, miss!" Haru waved to the two and walked to the taxi that was idling near the building entrance.

"Well, Kinomoto. I have to go back to the office. You can have the rest of the day off," Syaoran stated, his eyes trained on his phone – looking for the chauffeur's number. Sakura was shocked – it was only Thursday and wasn't it her boss who demanded she start on the overtime?

"You might as well have the day off tomorrow too. Just come around for the coffee and a few minor tasks, that's all," Syaoran continued, standing beside her. The black car had come back for her boss and her. She stood, processing the words her boss just uttered.

"Oi, Kinomoto," Syaoran said, jerking her attention back to him. Sakura met his eyes and then nodded to prove that he had her attention.

"You can go home on your own, right?" he asked before getting into the car, leaving Sakura baffled.

* * *

Li Syaoran sauntered back to his office almost 3 hours after he had left. He noticed a lot of people leaving, of course; it was near closing time but he also noticed the stares from different people – at least they would look away if he even looked in their direction. He passed the reception and then walked to the elevator. As soon as the elevator arrived, he pressed the top button and waited. He sighed. Today had been troublesome for him. It had changed everything: his plans; his marital status and even his schedule for the week.

As soon as the elevator dinged, he walked out and went the opposite direction to his sanctuary. He was called to meet the president before she had left. He still had feelings of guilt overcoming him from time to time. But he was determined. With each step he took, he closed the distance between himself and the room his mother had been in. Running his hand through his messy chestnut locks, he paused in front of the door. He knocked twice and walked in, seeing there were still two occupants in the room – his mother and cousin.

"Xiao Lang, come in. I wanted to discuss something before I leave tomorrow," Yelan muttered coolly, gesturing him to take a seat next to Meiling.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Mother. I was only waiting for the right timing," Syaoran said, bowing to his mother before sitting next to his cousin.

"I am sure you had your reasons, Xiao Lang," was his mother's curt reply.

"Kinomoto Sakura has been an invaluable asset to this company, I can definitely see why you fell for her," Meiling piped up, a smile on her face.

"You went through her files, Meiling? I can't believe you!" Syaoran yelled, making the two women jump up in surprise.

"Xiao Lang," Yelan said in a low, serious voice.

Syaoran looked down. He didn't need to face his mother's wrath – he could easily deal with Meiling later. "I am sorry," Syaoran replied in a low voice.

"Xiao Lang, it's time to give you this," Yelan said, her hands carrying a velvet red box that was in the drawer next to her. Syaoran's eyes widened. His breath hitched and he eyed the little box from where he was sitting. It had dawned on him – the content of the box was the reason he was brought back to the office. His mother handed him the box. To him, it felt like he was given the weight of the world to endure.

"I am proud of you, Xiao Lang," Yelan said softly. Her eyes met with her son's – she could see the struggle in them. It was one of the few times that made Meiling feel like she didn't need to be there.

* * *

Sakura was dead tired and drenched.

Li Syaoran had left her stranded in front of a government building, an hour away from her apartment. She had called up a cab, but it broke down barely halfway to her destination. Most of her efforts were useless. This was definitely the worst day of her life. She had stated this fact all throughout the day but held on to hope. She didn't want to accept that it _took a turn for the worst when it started raining._

Fumbling with the keys, she put the correct one into the keyhole. Her feet felt like lead and hurt with every step she took. She was lucky she didn't have to wear 4 inch heels like some of her colleagues. She was perfectly comfortable with the short heels she wore to work. She kicked off the shoes carelessly near the door and walked to her kitchen.

Sakura had dropped her keys onto her counter and then opened up the refrigerator and surveyed its contents. The refrigerator had only a carton of milk, Tupperware of curry and rice, one egg and stale bread that she bought on her last weekly grocery trip. Sakura sighed, it meant that it was high time to stock up her fridge. However, it was when she had remembered about the trip back to Tomoeda, her lips curved upwards to form a smile. _I think it would be better if I get the groceries later,_ Sakura thought. She turned on her heels and walked to the bathroom with the plan to rinse the rainwater off her skin and change into much more comfortable clothing.

Just as she had exited her bathroom, she was greeted with the ringing of her cell phone, piercing through the quiet atmosphere. Running towards the table where her cell phone resided, she pressed the green marked button to answer her call.

" _Moshi moshi_?"

"Sakura!" the soft voice squealed.

"Tomoyo!" Sakura replied with similar enthusiasm.

"I heard that you aren't coming – is everything alright?" Sakura winced, completely understanding the concern in her friend's voice

"Everything's alright, Tomoyo. In fact, I am coming home!" Sakura squealed happily, her lips turned to a small smile – she knew her friend could sense the happiness coming off of her through the phone. She could hear her giggling and imagined her expressions in her head.

"Touya told us that you weren't coming. What made you change your mind, Sakura?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura was confused on how to answer – the day's events replayed through her head. Nervousness and fear had taken form in the pit of her stomach.

"Is someone with you right now?" Sakura managed to mutter. Her grip on the phone had tightened, her knuckles turned white – she gulped, she had to tell Tomoyo. She was the only one who could help her break the news to her family – or rather, help quell Touya's anger.

"No, I am going home right now, what's wrong?" Tomoyo asked more directly, now concern was evident in her tone. Sakura wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. _Here goes nothing,_ Sakura mustered up all the courage she had in her before plunging into the details of what had transpired that day.

She could hear Tomoyo shifting in her seat and listening to her intently, offering her attention throughout the entire time she spilled about the events that had taken place – the office, the threat, the immigration office. Sakura knew the moment she would finish confiding in her cousin and best friend, she would have a lot of questions to answer to. A few questions that even she _didn't_ have an answer to.

"It will be alright, Sakura," Tomoyo consoled.

"Oh, Tomoyo, what am I going to do?" Sakura panicked. "I don't think I can lie to them!" she continued, standing up and pacing in the room.

"I think you should tell your father about the situation," Tomoyo suggested. Sakura was gaping – she knew her father wouldn't mind her helping out her boss, but it did put Li Syaoran in a bad light. "Just tell him you like your boss and you are visiting with him," Tomoyo continued. Sakura knew that Tomoyo was in a bind herself – she couldn't properly conjure up a foolproof plan within minutes, especially considering how complicated Sakura's situation was.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"Well, your father is understanding. He understands that you are old enough to have a boyfriend," Tomoyo jested – trying to make the atmosphere a little lighter. "As for Touya, well, I am sure you, Yukito and your dad can handle him when he finds out. I'll be there too," Tomoyo reasoned.

"I am sure grandfather would be ecstatic about the news!" Tomoyo added – her voice perked up. Sakura was not able to stifle her laugh. Tomoyo could always make her feel better at the bleakest situations.

"I seriously think you should warn your boss about everything, Sakura. I am sure he has his reasons," Tomoyo said.

"You are right, Tomoyo. I should warn him. Apart from that, I am so excited to be home!" Sakura exclaimed.

Sakura could imagine the smile Tomoyo was giving off – it did feel like she was in her presence rather than being on the telephone with her. At least Tomoyo did give her hope that they can pull off the act with her boss in the presence of her friends and family with her help. She just needed to prepare the man for the showdown with her brother. She knew that it would be the biggest hurdle for the trip. Sakura sighed; she knew she had Tomoyo to count on to save her and Syaoran if the going got tough.

"Oh, Sakura," – Tomoyo's voice had broken Sakura out of her reverie. "I can't wait for you to try out my new designs," Tomoyo sighed dreamily, eliciting a nervous chuckle out of Sakura.

* * *

Syaoran was frustrated.

He had reached his home after bidding his mother farewell for her flight early tomorrow. Syaoran knew that he would not be available to drive his dear mother to the airport – rather he had to plan out the unexpected plot that had unravelled unintentionally and mostly due to his sheer stupidity. His eyes had wandered on to the sink – he remembered the used dishes that awaited scrubbing from the time of his breakfast.

He trudged towards the sink before removing his suit jacket onto the nearest chair and then folding the cuffs of his shirt so that he didn't get them wet. He then began to scrub up the dirty plate and utensils. The scrubbing and the cleaning hadn't been enough distraction for him – his mind had drifted back to Sakura and the impending trip to her hometown. Syaoran let out a frustrated howl just thinking about it – he had dragged out his secretary into unnecessary trouble and made it very complicated for the both of them.

Draining the sink of the soapy waters, he rinsed and cleaned off the washed objects and put them back to their respective places. Syaoran huffed and paced around his kitchen.

 _I need a plan,_ Syaoran thought.

It was only 8 PM in the evening and he could see the skyline of the city that had been his home for three years through the wall-to-ceiling windows. Its twinkling lights had finally calmed him down yet his pacing didn't cease.

His frustrations had paved way to anxiety now – his mind flitted back to the predicament he was in. He was in trouble. He only had his mouth and iron resolve to bring the Japanese counterpart to Li Corporations to a decent position to blame. He was raked with guilt when he was reminded of the pride in his mother's voice and the look in Meiling's face when they had handed him the ring.

One thing was for sure: he needed to plan everything – starting with the trip to Tomoeda. Every single thing had to be perfect. He needed to be believable in his ruse with Sakura.

Syaoran huffed in frustration once again. Although he knew things about his auburn-haired employee, he knew virtually nothing about her life before she joined Li Corporations. He knew the basics – her family had been settled in Tomoeda; she had gone to Towa University, double majoring in Business and Anthropology; she relocated to Tokyo a month before she joined his company; she lived nearby the office in Tokyo and that her grandfather's 80th birthday is this week.

He remembered Kaidou Kazuma's words and the forthcoming and yet to-be-scheduled interview. Syaoran **had to** know more about Sakura. But first, he need to know what the weekend is going to entail – it may put his three years of hard work in vain.

He was in a dilemma now; he needed to plan out the trip with Sakura. At least, he should have an idea on what to expect – whether he might be cornered by her relatives or welcomed with open arms. Syaoran stopped pacing and ran to the chair that he had left his suit jacket on. He brought out the cell phone from one of the pockets and looked at the screen for a long time.

He started to pace again. He took deep breaths to get rid of the frustration that he had been feeling ever since he had gotten home. _It's now or never,_ Syaoran pondered. He kneaded his temple with his fingers to alleviate his stress and let out a huff.

With much deliberation, Syaoran brought out his phone and tapped in the number he had memorized by heart. The ringback tone brought in more anxiety he had felt in the core of his stomach. He waited till he heard the person pick up and greet him.

" _Moshi moshi. Sakura speaking!"_

"Do you think you can meet up with me now?"

* * *

Syaoran entered the café named _White Fang_. He hadn't changed – as soon as Sakura and he decided to end their conversation, he left for the café with the suit jacket in hand. He ran his fingers through his hair – trying to tame his messy locks, but he knew it would be in vain. A server with the name tag _Aki_ had made him sit at a two-person table that had some sort privacy from other customers. He had mentioned to the tall black haired male that he was waiting for someone and would order shortly after she arrives. With a curt nod, the man had disappeared to attend to the other tables.

Syaoran looked over to the café – he had heard of this place from Meiling. It took him a while to remember but when he did, his frown deepened. Although it was late at night, he could still a significant number of females in the café. The café owner was a former host – that was the reason.

His eye twitched. He would have told Sakura to meet him somewhere else. He groaned – there was nothing he could do. He was hungry and this place seemed more discreet than the restaurants he wanted to go to for dinner. Syaoran's frown disappeared a bit. He won't be followed around by the Japanese paparazzi. He heaved a breath of relief, _at least they aren't as bad as the ones in Hong Kong._

The door of the café jingled and Syaoran found himself looking at the direction of the door. He hoped it was Sakura so that they could finally order and satiate the growling stomach of his. He got up and bent so that he could be visible from the entrance, hoping to aid Sakura in noticing him.

Syaoran's actions had helped. Sakura, in a loose and baggy black t-shirt and tights, had arrived. She had smiled at the server named Aki and pointed him to the direction of Syaoran. With Aki in tow, Sakura had walked to the table her boss was in. She had squeaked in a "Hi" to him before sitting down and accepting the menus from their server.

"I'll have the special please," Sakura beamed at the waiter.

"Make that two," Syaoran replied, while Aki wrote down the orders, gathering the menus and made his way back to the kitchen, leaving the two.

Sakura felt awkward. She was surprised when her boss had called her to "meet up" as he had put it. Keeping her bare fridge in mind, she had suggested a café so that she could have dinner and listen to the reason he had requested her presence. Looking at Syaoran, Sakura noticed that he was still wearing the same suit as this morning. Sakura felt her lips tugging downwards to a frown.

 _He probably just left work before coming here_ , Sakura assumed. Concern had washed over Sakura's conscience. _He is going to die if he overworks himself like that_.

Syaoran was not faring any better. He knew he should start the discussion with his employee but he was unable to. He noticed his employee staring at him with an indistinguishable expression. His cheeks burned up under her scrutiny. He needed to start the conversation or else his newfound nervousness would eat him away. Normally their interaction at this time would be for work: he would bark orders to her and she would listen to him and readily lighten the workload.

He cleared his throat, breaking the trance his employee was in. She looked away when she had realized that she had been staring at her boss for longer than necessary.

"Lovely weather we have today, right?" Syaoran almost wanted to slam his face into the table repeatedly when he heard himself say that. _Of all things, I start the conversation with the weather?_ Syaoran screamed in his mind.

"Uh, it rained on my way home. It was very inconvenient, Li- _sama,_ " Sakura said meekly. She could pick up the awkwardness so she had addressed Syaoran formally rather than calling him Li.

That had caught Syaoran's attention. He had ditched her in the immigration office and it dawned on him that he had left a girl to fend for herself in the rain. Guilt flooded into his conscience. He had thought she would have hailed a taxi back home but he knew that his employee had walked back to her residence.

"I am sorry about that, I should not have left you like that," Syaoran muttered lowly.

"You don't need to apologize! I had fun walking in the rain," Sakura beamed. Syaoran was taken back at her attitude – he was expected the auburn-haired woman to chew his head off, but rather, she had a smile and a cheery attitude.

"I hope you don't mind, Li- _sama,_ why did you want to meet?" Sakura asked. "Is there work to be done?" she added, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Uh, no. I wanted to talk about the trip," Syaoran murmured weakly.

"Oh, it's just an hour trip away." Sakura supplied. "We can go by train if you want. I know the last train to Tomoeda is around 10 pm," Sakura continued.

"I was hoping we'd use the car," Syaoran replied. The awkwardness had dissipated a bit but still, the atmosphere itself made Syaoran feel uncomfortable. "I'll book a hotel room for myself," he added.

"Oh, Li- _sama,_ you don't need to book a hotel room. I am sure _Outo-san_ wouldn't mind you staying over. We have empty rooms now that my _oniisan_ has moved out," Sakura explained.

"I see. Is your grandfather having a birthday party?" Syaoran inquired. Sakura nodded and muttered out a " _Hai!"_. Their conversation was interrupted when the server Aki came back with beautifully presented Japanese dishes.

" _Itadakimasu!"_ Sakura said before digging in. Syaoran looked at her momentarily with his chopsticks digging into his rice and curry.

It was quiet. The only sound was the tapping of chopsticks and clinking of glasses. Syaoran could feel his frustration creeping in again while his hunger dissipated. He had come here with one goal in mind: to plan with Kinomoto, not have dinner with her.

"Okay, so, this is what is going to happen, Kinomoto," Syaoran broke the silence, startling Sakura, who had finished her meal just a few moments ago.

Sakura flinched at the tone of Syaoran's voice: cold and business-like. A complete 180 from the friendly tone he used when he was conversing with her earlier. _It's like he is closing a deal,_ Sakura thought.

"We will go there, pretend like we are boyfriend and girlfriend and tell your parents we are engaged," Syaoran resumed – Sakura was dumbfounded at what he was saying. "We get back on Sunday and then we go on straight to work – time is short," he continued.

"Kinomoto, you should take notes on this," Syaoran huffed out when he saw his auburn-haired _girlfriend_ just stare back at him with an unreadable expression.

Sakura was seething when she had heard Syaoran speak to her in this manner. "I am sorry, Li, what are you trying to say?" Sakura replied rather harshly. "You should be thanking me for helping you in this scheme of yours – were you not in that _room?_ " Sakura spit out.

"I did like your explanations to Kaidou, it was genius," Syaoran praised, a small smile playing on his lips. "He believed your words," he said.

"Are you being serious, Li? If we get caught, I am looking at a million yen fine and 5 years in prison. _This changes things!"_ Sakura almost bellowed out, causing several of the other customers to look in their direction. Noticing this, Sakura sunk into her seat, her eyes showing Syaoran rare rage.

"What do you want, Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked – he hadn't expected Sakura to react that way at all.

"Promote me to marketing head immediately after my contract under you ends, Li," Sakura suggested lowly – her anger still dominating her voice. Sakura had no idea why she had suggested that. She may have had the qualifications of being marketing head for a company but she barely even had experience for it at all. She knew she would lose everything if she was caught.

"What? No way!"

"Then I quit, and you are screwed. _Goodbye, Li,_ " Sakura muttered, standing up and turning to leave the table. Seeing Sakura get up, it made Syaoran reach out to his pocket and placed sufficient yen for the meal they had and he motioned Aki before following the girl out.

"Kinomoto, wait!" Syaoran shouted to her retreating figure, making her slow her pace and turn around. Syaoran broke into a little jog to catch up with her. "Fine," he groaned, "I'll do it."

"Okay then. We will tell my family about the engagement when I want and how I want," Sakura said, staring at Syaoran.

"Look, Li. If I am helping you out – you need to listen to me too! You haven't even asked me to marry you!" Sakura continued.

"My family hasn't seen me in two years and what do you think will happen when I tell them I am engaged?" Sakura questioned him. The two were standing on the empty sidewalk near the café. Sakura sighed.

"Tell you what, let me do the thinking for it," Sakura offered when she was met with silence. "I need to go home now, when do you need me at work?" she asked softly, trying to coax out an answer from her silent boss.

Sakura sighed again, she was not going to get a reply from her boss. She turned around and started to walk in the direction of her apartment.

" _Sakura,"_ – that was enough to turn her around to be face to face with Li Syaoran. Syaoran was taller than her so she lifted her head to meet his eyes. Sakura was taken back when she saw his amber eyes gleam with determination. His facial features had softened and he was thinking – it didn't go unnoticed by Sakura. The soft glow from the illuminated street lamp had somehow changed Syaoran's appearance.

Sakura's breath hitched when she felt her left hand being grabbed by Syaoran's and pulled to him. Sakura wondered what Syaoran was thinking when he only stared at her hand. His expression was cool and unreadable – Sakura held her breath. Sakura's heart raced and she could feel the heat rushing into her cheeks. She was frozen – her mind fogged up, she knew she should pull her hand away from his grasp but yet, she remained still. She was stuck under his grasp and under his gaze.

Syaoran looked into Sakura's eyes and muttered, " _Marry me."_

Sakura felt something cold and heavy on her finger. When she tore away from Syaoran's gaze to her hand, she gasped. She had not anticipated this. She did not anticipate a proposal from her boss in this manner.

Syaoran had abruptly let go of her hand and then spun around towards the parking lot of the café. He could hear his heart pounding violently in his chest. His breaths were ragged. He felt like he had run a whole marathon because of that moment.

"Li." Syaoran had heard Sakura squeak. He had stopped on his tracks and just stood, hoping Sakura would continue whatever she was going to say.

"Just meet up with me around 6 pm, ne? We can leave for Tomoeda then," he heard her say. He nodded to show he got her message and resumed walking.

* * *

Sakura walked home in a daze. She had not expected her day ending like that.

She had managed to find her voice and spoke to Syaoran. It had taken up all the courage she could muster. She could feel adrenaline rushing through her veins and her thoughts were running through her mind – jumbling everything. She could feel the ring on her finger weighing a ton.

She quickly changed and threw herself on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She took deep breaths and raised her left hand – staring at the ring. Her breath hitched. _The ring is pretty – must be a family heirloom,_ she concluded. She noticed the jade – indicating the ring was from China. Sakura faceplamed herself.

 _I didn't even warn him about Touya!_ Sakura chastised herself. She groaned and hid her face on to her arms, shifting her legs in bed as she did so.

"I guess I have to tell Outo-san about his guest now," Sakura mumbled before reaching out for her cell phone on the bedside table.

She had tapped in the number for her home – and waited till someone picked up. It was routine for her, it was 10 PM but she knew her father would awake awaiting her call.

"Moshi moshi, Kinomoto residence _,"_ her father's voice crackled from the receiver.

"Daddy! It's Sakura!" Sakura spoke enthusiastically – ignoring the churning of her stomach that had been plaguing her for almost half an hour.

"Sakura, how was work? I heard you aren't coming," Sakura could hear the hint of disappointment and sadness in her father's comforting voice.

" _Otou-san,_ work is fine! Don't worry about it – actually, turns out, I am coming home this week, isn't it great?" Sakura replied.

"That's wonderful! Should Touya be picking you up – he is here for dinner right now," her ears perked up on this new information her father gave.

"No, it's alright. Uh, you see, daddy, I am bringing along a guest," Sakura started.

"I see, well, don't worry about that, she is welcome here," she heard her father say.

"Actually, my boss wants to come along," Sakura supplied.

"Oh, I see, he is welcome, would he join us for your grandfather's birthday then?"

"I think so," Sakura replied. She could hear her brother in the background saying, "Is that _kaiju?_ Put it on speaker, dad."

"Sakura, you are on speaker now. Touya can hear you too," her father's voice replied.

"Uh, I need to tell you something. Is Yukito there too?" Sakura asked.

"No, _kaiju._ He's still at the restaurant. We are meeting up at home," Touya's distant voice entered her ears.

Sakura winced. Yukito's presence would have helped her a lot considering she was breaking the news to her family. Now, her father would have to bear Touya's blunt wrath all on his own. _It's now or never,_ Sakura encouraged herself

"Daddy, Touya, _I have a boyfriend,_ " Sakura spoke out. She was met with silence on the other end. She knew that chaos would erupt now in the Kinomoto household.

"Who is he, Sakura?" her father broke the silence.

"My boss,"

She could hear shuffling and the receiver being picked up. She could hear breathing on the other end – she knew it was her brother.

"YOU HAVE A WHAT?" he screamed into the receiver and Sakura's ears.

* * *

End of Chapter.

* * *

Well, first of all, I need to apologize for such a late update. Let's just say, I got sidetracked with my parents and how they wanted to get me out of bed to do things. Summer vacation means staying in bed all day, right?  
This is letting my imagination reign freely cause I really want to develop SxS properly. I'd like to say this again: there are a few major changes in the story, it is similar to the movie but it's **not** the same. I hope I do the movie justice.

I hope you liked this chapter, I didnt expect it to be _this_ long, but I do hope you guys like long chapters!

Also, chapter 2 for the Clear Card Arc is out, and well, it gave me anxiety, but still, the cover with Syaoran and Sakura made my day! What did you guys think of the **torture** CLAMP is putting us through?

I am going to date my updates from now on too, that way, I can see how long I take to update and all.  
Oh, I have put in my tumblr in my profile - if you ever want to talk or see what I am upto if I am not on here.

I would like to thank **lostinwanderland** and **ivory-sword** for reading this chapter and giving me their input. Thanks so much!  
Last of all, thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed! You have no idea how much you guys make my day better when I see feedback and everything when I log in and even when I read the emails. It really means a lot to me, I keep looking forward to it and motivates me to write! Please don't be shy and tell me what you think :)

Thanks again.

Till next time!  
(30th June 2016)


	4. The Reunion

**Chapter 4  
The Reunion**

The office had been in a state of chaos. Syaoran knew his stress levels would rise to the peak. All kinds of information had been reported to him – all leading to panic and pandemonium in the Tokyo branch. Syaoran sighed in resignation, peering over different papers strewn carelessly over his desk. One of his hands travelled to his head, kneading his temple and reaching to grab the coffee that had been placed on his desk. His face scrunched up in disgust when he took a sip of the drink and placed it back to its place. Syaoran ran his fingers through his hair, making it messier – he didn't care anymore.

Syaoran looked at his phone and thought of Sakura. He had texted her last night to skip work tomorrow and to put her attention into planning their trip to Tomoeda later today. However, as he had stepped into the office in the morning, he immediately regretted it. The replacement assistant for the day had not known his taste in coffee and felt more like dead-weight when the chaos had ensued.

"Li- _sama,_ I don't know where Kinomoto- _san_ had placed the Ryoma Industries file," Nia, Sakura's replacement for the day, had piped up. Nia had been fearful of the Li Corps CEO ever since she joined. She had heard of how ruthless and cut-throat he was in the business world. She had been given condolences by her colleagues when he had told her to fill in for Sakura.

Upon hearing Nia's statement, Syaoran had looked downright murderous. He _shouldn't_ have given his assistant and _fiancé_ the day off. Running his fingers through his hair once again to calm himself, he turned to the replacement and barked, "Call her and find out!"

"Right away, Li- _sama_!" Nia said, escaping from the short-tempered boss.

Syaoran stared at the door, surprised at how the young replacement had fled out of fear of receiving the brunt of his anger. He felt ashamed and guilty for almost losing his temper at the young employee. He needed to vent off all his stress. Unfortunately for the new secretary, he had chosen anger as his medium to get rid of the stress. Syaoran let out a string of curses under his breath and looked at his cell phone again.

 _It's like I can't even function without her now,_ Syaoran deliberated.

He arranged the papers that laid on his desk and fixed his tie. He took deep breaths and pressed the buzzer of the intercom to call out his temporary assistant. He had to fix whatever problem the Tokyo counterpart had– he needed to control it.

A knock on his glass door brought Syaoran back to reality. He grew pensive when he noticed the person walking into his room – he supressed a groan when he heard the impatient tapping of a heel indicating the wait for acknowledgement.

"What is it now, Meiling?" Syaoran asked. His voice had an edge to it. With his to-do list for the day increasing every second, he did not want to deal with his cousin.

"Why are everyone running around like headless chickens on this floor?" Meiling inquired, pulling out a chair opposite Syaoran. She took her seat and rested her chin on her hands propped up on Syaoran's desk.

Syaoran gaped at his cousin, unable to comprehend how she hadn't yet found out about the crisis present in front of them. Meiling's expression grew darker when she noticed the frustration on his face. It was only the afternoon, but it looked like Syaoran had not slept at all.

"There has been a problem," Syaoran's curt reply threw her off. Meiling had noticed the desperation in his voice; her eyes had softened and so, she reached out to grasp his hand, urging him to continue.

"Rumors of embezzlement from Ryoma Corp, Meiling," Syaoran started. Meiling gasped, her hand retracting. Seeing the surprised look on Meiling's face, Syaoran continued, "I am as surprised as you are. I am sure Mother will be worried about this too,"

"Does this mean what I think it means?" Meiling asked.

Syaoran sighed, his shoulders dropped in defeat and his hand clutched his head. Looking up at Meiling, he merely nodded.

"But Syaoran! We are the parent company; we have to do damage control!" Meiling bellowed.

"I even had reports of internal conflict come up to me. We need to fix this soon," Syaoran said. Meiling nodded.

"What are you planning to do?" Meiling asked.

"Sending over our team of execs to check out the extent of the damage would be the first step. Everything else can be decided after. Worst comes to worst, I'll make an appearance before anyone finds out," Syaoran muttered, resting his head on his desk

"You know, Syaoran," Meiling started, tapping her fingers against the desk.

"What is it, Meiling?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow at how _uncharacteristically_ hesitant Meiling was acting. He was anticipating some ridiculous request to come out of her mouth.

"Do you think I can help out with this situation?" – Ah, there it was.

"I think I can handle it," Syaoran replied.

"I'd like to see you try." Meiling challenged. Syaoran stared at his cousin intensely, urging her to throw one of her fits. Meiling simply looked on at Syaoran with a rebellious expression.

"What I mean to say is, you should focus on making a good impression on your in-laws, Syaoran," Meiling explained. "I am your cousin. I know how you think. It is going to be easier than juggling two stressful situations at once," Meiling continued upon seeing Syaoran's expression change to realization. Meiling smiled; she had hit the nail on the head.

"Don't worry, I'll let you bug me with phone calls all weekend if you let me handle work," she proposed with a cunning smile.

Syaoran knew he was fighting a losing battle. What had bothered him was that Meiling had a point after all. He had a mission to charm Sakura's family and he had to announce their engagement to them.

With a sigh that expressed his defeat, Syaoran looked at Meiling and replied, "Do whatever you want."

"Oh, Syaoran! I promise you won't regret it!" Meiling declared gleefully, coaxing a small smile out of Syaoran.

* * *

Sakura hardly slept after her impromptu phone call with her family. She had texted Tomoyo about what conversation had taken place. Still, her worries did not dissipate even when her best friend had reassured her that all would be fine.

She was grateful that Syaoran had granted her a "day off" to both mentally and physically prepare herself for the trip but again, she could not help but be burdened with uneasiness when she received a call from a frightened colleague asking about files she had placed.

Sakura sighed – her bed was littered with clothes and her half-empty suitcase was placed on the floor. Music played softly through the speakers. _Maybe I should have gone to work. At least I would have been distracted_ , Sakura pondered. She rummaged through her closet once again, looking for suitable clothing for the trip. Sakura knew that packing was mostly futile – Tomoyo would happily dress her up according to her whims anyway, and she had left much more back at home.

 _I give up_. She kept placing her favorite set of pyjamas and clothing into her suitcase before she brought out the gifts she had bought for everyone back in Tomoeda. _At least this is filling up the suitcase more than the clothes,_ Sakura mused.

Her thoughts went back to Touya and she shuddered. Another sigh escaped from Sakura. She did not want to even think about what would happen to her "boyfriend" when face-to-face with her brother. She knew one thing for sure: whatever reaction he would have during introduction would be ten, _or a hundred_ , times worse when they announce their fake engagement.

Sakura's heart clenched at the thought of the engagement. The past few days were strange enough as it was but last night stood out the most. Her fingers found their way to the ring on her left hand. Her mind wandered off to the café and the impromptu proposal bathed in the warm yellow glow of the streetlights of Tokyo. Syaoran looked different than what she had seen him in the past two years in the making. Remembering the look in his eyes and the determination that was etched into his face made Sakura's heart thump furiously against her chest and her cheeks heat up.

Sakura shook her head violently as she tried to get rid of the images being summoned in her mind. She berated herself for even letting her thoughts go in _**that**_ direction. The whole situation was strange enough. It felt like it was straight out of a plot of a movie!

Sakura sighed once more and plopped onto her messy bed. She was supposed to be excitedly counting down the hours to her trip to Tomoeda, not dreading it. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she groaned and gathered the piles of clothing she had placed on the bed and pushed them into the back of the closet. She grabbed a simple outfit and rushed off to shower.

There was only one thing she could conclude while she entered her bathroom. Her life was slowly veering of the course of normalcy – the cause? Li Syaoran.

* * *

Syaoran managed to reach Sakura's apartment in record time. Syaoran mentally made note to thank Meiling for this. She had to kick him out of the office so that he had time to go back home around four, change and get his bag he packed for the trip. He vaguely remembered asking Wei, his long-time butler, to look after his apartment as he dashed out the front door, muttering his thanks.

Syaoran exhaled with relief. He reached for his phone and scrolled to Sakura's name and pressed 'call'.

"I am here, come out when you can," he said before hanging up. By now he knew this move would earn him a lecture from his assistant about manners. Syaoran broke to a smile at that thought. While waiting, Syaoran had sent a text to Meiling, reminding her to send hourly updates with the situation at work. _Serves her right_ , Syaoran smirked.

It didn't take long before he noticed Sakura coming out the gate of her apartment complex and towards his car. Syaoran got out of the car and walked out to open the trunk. He took Sakura's baggage and placed it alongside his. He managed to greet Sakura while doing so – his eyebrows furrowed in contemplation when he felt her bag was feather light as compared to his.

"It's light," Syaoran muttered lamely as he slammed the trunk shut.

"Oh, I didn't really need the clothes from here," Sakura answered sheepishly.

"Well, let's go," Syaoran responded before walking to the driving seat and prompted the engine to start when he noticed Sakura had settled into the passenger seat.

The silence in the car was awkward. At least to Syaoran. He would glance every now and then to his companion and see her take in the scenery of the cityscape that they were leaving behind. From time to time, Syaoran would catch Sakura humming some indecipherable song – however, she would abruptly stop when she remembered that she wasn't alone.

Syaoran tried to focus on the road ahead, unable to ask his companion which route would be easier. Unable to endure the stifling silence, he cleared his throat, trying to catch Sakura's attention which was now on a file that Syaoran recognized as the details to their immigration interview on Monday morning.

"Does that file have the interview questions?" Syaoran asked, his eyes trained on the road. Sakura let out a yelp, startled. Syaoran shook his head in disbelief. _Did she expect me to be quiet all throughout the journey?_

Sakura turned her head towards her boss, and muttered, "yes."

"Well, now's the time to ask your questions then," Syaoran replied. Sakura flipped over the pages and then finally shut the file and placed it on her lap.

"I don't think I need to do that," Sakura replied, her eyes trailing back to the window.

"What do you mean by that?" Syaoran asked, tearing his eyes from the road to meet Sakura's green ones.

"Eyes on the road!" Sakura screamed, gripping the seatbelt hard. Syaoran fought the grin that appeared on his face upon seeing Sakura's reaction.

"Why don't you say whatever you want to say then, dummy?" Syaoran asked, he internally winced when his tone came out aggressive than intended.

"Hmph, fine! The good news is that I know _everything_ about you, but the bad news is that you have less than three days to learn all of this about me," Sakura gritted out.

Syaoran looked at Sakura, his eyebrows knitted together and a smirk on his face, and stated, "There is no way that you know everything that file is asking about me."

"Two years is a long time to know a person, Li," Sakura answered, turning back at the window and looking at the trees zooming by.

"If that's the case, how about we fill this silence with quizzing you how well you know me?" Syaoran challenged, his amber eyes fill up with mischief. "Heck, if you get even two right, Kinomoto, I promise to behave in front of your family,"

"Ask away," came Sakura's curt response while she picked at her fingernails – _a befitting way to accept the challenge_ , Syaoran mused. "Since I can't actually look at the file, how about you pick the question in the middle of the page you opened and read it out loud?" Syaoran suggested. Sakura had obeyed his instructions and placed her finger in the middle of the page. Syaoran had noticed this from the periphery of his vision.

"What your morning routine is like," Sakura paraphrased the question.

"And you know what I do in the mornings?" Syaoran asked, unable to believe Sakura.

"Sadly enough, I do, Li," Sakura huffed out a response. "You wake up in the early hours of the day - I don't think the sun is out by then. You work out, get your breakfast ready and then get ready for the day. Let's not forget, you manage to torture me before you even step into the office," Sakura said. "Am I wrong?" Sakura inquired, her brow lifted in jest.

Silence.

Sakura giggled when she looked at Syaoran and the blank face he made that indicated that she was indeed correct.

"Lucky guess," Syaoran muttered. "Pick the last one on the next page then," Syaoran suggested.

Sakura followed. "You should take the next exit, it is the easiest and a quicker route than continuing on this highway," Sakura pointed out before she turned her attention back to the page.

"What is your favorite food?" Sakura asked, eyes glued to the file. "Some questions are pretty straightforward, I guess," Sakura observed. Sakura had gone silent and that confused Syaoran, which urged him to call her out.

"You don't know what I like to eat?" Syaoran asked, the mirth clear in his tone.

"Dim sum – specially the ones from that Chinese restaurant that closed a month ago," Sakura answered. "I'll answer one more," she stated.

"It better not be one of those generic "what I love to do, eat or read" questions. People can google them," He said.

"Uh, there is an interesting one – what are you allergic to?" Sakura asked. Syaoran had remained silent, indicating that he was waiting for an answer from Sakura herself.

"Well, this isn't really my words, but everyone thinks it's the full spectrum of human emotions," Sakura said, amusement in her tone.

"Haha," Syaoran deadpanned, launching Sakura into giggles. Somehow, it did make Syaoran feel better that Sakura didn't have the same impression about him that the others did. Especially when these "others" were his employees.

"Do you think we can pull this off?" Syaoran asked. The moment this question left his mouth – Sakura turned to him once again, hesitance in her pensive green eyes.

"I don't know, Li," Sakura answered truthfully. Sakura could feel anxiety gnawing at her stomach when she thought about the lies she has to tell her family. "I think we can, if we work together," she continued, giving a reassuring smile to her boss.

"Okay! There's the exit!" Sakura pointed out, her voice back to its original cheeriness.

* * *

Tomoeda was a quaint town – Syaoran observed. Although downtown Tomoeda did remind him a little of Tokyo, but as he progressed to the residential areas, he noticed the houses that lined them and it fit his expectations perfectly. Sakura launched herself into telling him stories of the places she had been to and notified him of new shops that cropped out during her two-year absence. When Syaoran drove by King Penguin Park, Sakura squealed. It felt different seeing Sakura act this way.

Sakura had given Syaoran directions to her house, and by the time they had reached it, Sakura excitedly got out of the car before he could safely park. Syaoran took in the appearance of the house: a yellow two storied house with a dark roof – it looked cozy and a far-cry from what he used to. Sakura waited by the gates when he had pulled to a parking space, opening up the trunk to get their things.

"Follow me, Li-kun!" Sakura motioned to Syaoran, tugging at her bag and walking towards the door.

"Uh, Li-kun?" Syaoran stammered, puzzled by the change in the way he was addressed.

"I'd call you Li every now and then, but my family could ask questions if I address you as Li-sama. Is that okay?" Sakura asked, placing her hand on her head and turning towards the red-faced Syaoran.

"Yeah, sure," Syaoran answered, his cheeks still burning.

Sakura had pressed the doorbell, a smile already plastered on her face. Syaoran could hear the barking that had commenced ever since they had stepped foot on the porch of the Kinomoto house. He looked around – noting the small yard and the porch. The front door opened and a young man appeared at its doorway. A golden retriever had pounced on Sakura, making her burst into laughter while she sat in its eye-level and petted the dog.

"Kero! I missed you!" Sakura managed to say while receiving kisses from her dog. She noticed the man who looked at her kindly while she got up. She engulfed the man in a hug.

"Outo-san! How are you? I missed you so much!" Sakura cried into Kinomoto Fujitaka's arms.

"I missed you too, Sakura. I am fine now that you are here," Fujitaka replied, his eyes lit with happiness while Kero bounced around the two, trying to get Sakura's attention back on him again. Both father and daughter had not yet acknowledged the guest amidst their heartfelt reunion. Syaoran had been gaping when he had seen Sakura's father. This is not what he had expected at all.

Sakura's father was _THE_ Kinomoto Fujitaka – the well-known archeologist and one of the few people Li Syaoran had admired. Syaoran remembered reading all his articles in university and even had the chance to listen to his lecture when he visited Hong Kong. Nevertheless, it did shock him to find out that Kinomoto Fujitaka was going to be _his_ father-in-law.

Sakura broke the embrace and looked towards Syaoran. " _Ano_ , Outo-san, this is Li Syaoran, uh, my _boyfriend_ ," Sakura replied, gesturing to Syaoran.

"Nice to meet you, Li-san. Sakura has told me about you, thank you for taking care of her in my absence," Fujitaka said respectfully, raising his hand for a handshake. Syaoran's eyes drifted to Sakura for a minute upon hearing Fujitaka's words, and thus made Sakura blush.

Syaoran shook Fujitaka's hand calmly albeit he was star struck. "It's an honour to meet you, Kinomoto-san. I am a huge fan and I have followed almost all your articles – especially the recent one," Syaoran felt himself rambling while Sakura looked at the interaction and felt very confused. "It is fascinating to read about the 1000-year-old Buddhist temple that was discovered in Bangladesh. I have to ask, did they actually find old relics from there yet?" Syaoran asked, pensive and engrossed in knowing the most recent development in the archeological field.

"Ah, yes. They have. I am just surprised you know about my work, Li-san," Fujitaka spoke.

"I attended one of the classes you were a guest lecturer in a few years ago," Syaoran explained. "I minored in Archaeology," he added at the last minute.

Fujitaka chuckled. "Sakura, you didn't tell me Li-san knew me," he asked.

"I didn't know either, Outo-san," Sakura replied, tugging and playing with the handle of her luggage, while Kero barked happily every time Sakura petted the dog. Surprised was an understatement, Sakura could not help but notice how nervous Syaoran was feeling. Much like how one feels when they met a person who they admired for a long time.

"Well, come in, you two. We can continue this conversation in the living room," Fujitaka said, opening the door and then moving back inside so they could walk into the house. Sakura pulled her luggage into the hallway and placed it near the door. She quickly removed her shoes and stepped into the hallway with Kero in tow. Syaoran had followed Sakura – his mind still in shambles and unclear about the whole conversation.

"Is Touya home?" Sakura asked her father.

"He's still at the restaurant. He and Yukito should be here for dinner in about an hour or so," Fujitaka explained. "I am getting dinner ready, do you think you can show Li- _san_ to his room?" Fujitaka asked, looking at the Syaoran, who was looking around the hallway.

"Of course, Outo-san! I'll help you with dinner right after!" Sakura replied before gesturing Syaoran to follow her up the stairs along with their luggage. Kero tugged on Sakura's pants up the stairs while Syaoran followed.

Sakura walked past her room, only pausing to leave her bag in front of her door. Kero was relishing in her presence now and calmed down. Sakura was surprised; Syaoran's reaction to meeting her father was unexpected. She knew her father was well-known around the world due to his impressive list of excavations and academic papers. She didn't know that Syaoran admired him and rather, minored in Archeology. Looking at Syaoran from the corner of her eyes, she had noticed he had grown quiet. She stopped once she reached Touya's door. She opened the door and moved out of Syaoran's way.

"This is it! This is your room for the duration of the trip," Sakura exclaimed, jolting Syaoran out of his reverie and letting him into the room. "This used to be my brother Touya's room. He moved out so I guess Outo-san thought you can use it," Sakura explained. "The bathroom is right outside, so freshen up, okay? I'll call you down to dinner when it's ready. Let's go, Kero," Sakura said, letting Syaoran have a little moment of peace before the storm named Touya would arrive.

* * *

Syaoran reluctantly walked down the steps – using his sense of smell to guide him to the kitchen. He wanted to wait till Sakura summoned him to dinner but his curiosity got the better of him. As he entered the kitchen, he noticed Sakura behind the counter, monitoring the rice cooker and humming a tuneless song once again. He noticed the dog, Kero, he remembered, sitting contently near the dining table, swishing his tail from side to side every now and then. He could hear the meat sizzling and observed Sakura as she placed her attention on the stove, stirring and shaking the pots and pans that held various delicacies.

His eyes noticed a picture of a woman on the kitchen table. Sakura had noticed Syaoran's presence and caught his eyes on the photograph.

"That's my mother, Nadeshiko," Sakura broke the silence, while she opened up the cabinets to gather the plates for her dishes.

"Your mother is very beautiful," Syaoran started rather awkwardly. He felt uncomfortable, having connected the dots that she had passed away. "Thank you," Sakura replied gratefully as she brought her attention back to the stove. "She passed away when I was 3 years old. She had been very ill for a while," Sakura explained, picking on the bits of meat.

"I am sorry," Syaoran spoke, his head hung low. He too knew the pain of losing one's parent.

"Don't be! She is in a better place now. I don't remember much about her but I know she loved all of us," Sakura reassured him with a smile.

"Do you want help?" Syaoran asked, attempting to change the topic. "No, no, I am almost done! Outo-san just went upstairs to take a bath, so I took over," Sakura clarified. "Please, sit down!" Sakura motioned towards a chair. Syaoran looked at the dining table, seeing five plates arranged. "I am fine here," Syaoran muttered, standing near the dog.

Sakura knew it would be useless to argue. She placed the food into the bowls and walked back to the cabinets, bringing out Kero's dog food. She had pour a generous amount of food into the bowl – all under the scrutiny of her amber-eyed " _boyfriend"._

"That dog's fat," Syaoran uttered nonchalantly. Somehow, as if understanding his comment, Kero bared his teeth at him, growling as if he would be ready to attack if he had heard one more insult about him.

"Kero, don't! Watch what you are saying about my dog, Li!" Sakura bellowed out harshly, pointing a finger at him to retaliate.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was astonished. He did not expect his comment to affect Sakura in that manner. "I only told you what I think!" he explained.

"I don't care! Apologize to him right now!" Sakura yelled out louder.

There was no way she had just said that. "Me? Apologize to the dog? _Are you crazy?_ " Syaoran replied, shocked by Sakura's "ridiculous" request. "Do it, Li." Sakura gritted out.

"No way, Kinomoto!" Syaoran reacted accordingly. Sakura knew by now that their voices had carried upstairs.

" _What the heck is going on here?"_ came a new voice, successfully attracting the attention of the two bickering individuals.

Syaoran huffed out an angry sigh, moving away from Sakura. He did not need this new person to figure out that Sakura and him were putting up a sham.

"Hey, brat, why were you screaming at my sister?" said the same man. _Wait, sister?_ Syaoran thought, turning to face the scowling man. Behind him was another person, carrying a box in his hands.

Kinomoto Touya was not a patient man. He could never calm himself whenever his sister was in any sort of problem – this situation was no exception.

"I am talking to you, _gaki,_ " Touya seethed.

"Touya, it's fine! I overreacted," Sakura attempted to explain, trying to do damage control. Neither Syaoran nor Touya stood back down at their staring contest. The atmosphere was tense. At the end, an angry "hmph" from Touya had ended their stare-down.

"Sorry about that. Touya doesn't take it lightly when Sakura is threatened," the man with the box gently explained. "Stop talking to that brat, Yuki," Touya huffed, walking towards Sakura and ruffling her hair.

"You lost weight, monster," Touya noted. Sakura slammed her foot down on to Touya's, expressing her displeasure in hearing that nickname that he uttered. Touya yelped in pain, muttering profanity under his breath. "Still a monster, I see," Touya commented after a bit.

"How have you been, Sakura?" Yukito asked, smiling at the younger Kinomoto sibling. Sakura blushed, which caught Syaoran's attention, and muttered out brightly, "I have been great, Yukito!"

"We got us some cake for dessert! It's one of the new recipes at the restaurant, so I thought you might like it," Yukito replied, placing the box on the kitchen table. Sakura smiled and hugged Yukito right after – she had missed all of them so much. Her face lit up with joy, the ache she carried for two years was slowly disappearing.

"I see that you are all here, should we have dinner then?" Fujitaka entered the kitchen, oblivious to what had happened a few moments ago.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair but Syaoran found it terribly awkward. The reason? Kinomoto Touya, who had been glaring daggers at him throughout dinner. Syaoran would answer questions that were directed to him every now and then by the eldest Kinomoto and Yukito. Syaoran would observe the interaction between Sakura's brother and Yukito and it was very easy to go to the conclusion that they were dating. Sakura had animatedly contributed to most of the chatter, while the males listened in intently. Both of them had not yet had been asked how they began dating and all, and Syaoran was thankful for that.

"Are you two ready for tomorrow night's party?" Yukito asked, already on his third helping.

"I am! Tomoyo wanted to come over so we could get ready together," Sakura answered, while Syaoran stared at Yukito and how quickly he finished his food. "What about you, Li-san?" Yukito asked.

"I am, I guess," Syaoran replied. Truth to be told, he was nervous to meet other relatives of Kinomoto Sakura. He had been in the house barely a few hours and it had felt like he had merely met Sakura just now. She acted so differently around him – even though they knew each other for two years.

Once dessert was served and the dinner table cleared, Touya and Yukito bade farewell. Sakura had once again stomped on Touya's foot when addressed as "monster". However, it was the words that Touya had uttered that stuck in Sakura's head before leaving for home.

" _Are you sure you two are dating, Sakura?" Touya asked, concern and contempt laced in his tone. "Yes, why do you ask?" Sakura managed to hide her stutter._

 _"You two don't seem like it," Touya replied, kicking a little bit of dirt from the grass. The two siblings had wandered into the Kinomoto residence's back garden – once their playground. That had stopped Sakura to think. Touya was sharp but – "don't be ridiculous, Touya. He's nervous – he is much nicer," Sakura lied, observing Syaoran, chatting with her dad and Yukito in the lounge, possibly over what they were watching on television._

" _I don't like him, Sakura. He is a brat," Touya declared. Upon looking at the rage on Sakura's face, he had to add, "I don't think I can trust anyone with a monster like you," Touya teased. Sakura was trying to thrash her hands around in attempt to hit him, but he prevented her by immobilising her head. He grinned; he was still taller than her._

" _I really did miss you, kid," Touya replied, "the house seemed empty without you stomping around."_

" _TOUYA!" came Sakura's shriek._

* * *

The house seemed strangely empty after Touya and Yukito had left. Sakura had Kero in tow, eager to accompany her to bed as he had done for several years now. Sakura scratched his head before trudging up the stairs to her room. With her luck, she crossed paths with her boss, Syaoran, who had exited the bathroom, ready for bed. Kero growled at him while Syaoran glared at the dog.

"Is something the matter, Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked, his amber eyes reflecting the exhaustion from the day he had experienced.

"I wanted to apologize. I overreacted," Sakura replied in a meek voice. "You're right, Kero is a bit greedy when it comes to food." Sakura smiled.

"Why name him Kero? He seems more like a stuffed animal than a dog to me," Syaoran commented, mirth in his voice, however, it earned him a bark from the dog.

"It's short for Kerberos – Touya let me name him," Sakura giggled. Syaoran could not help but let loose a small smile of his own.

"Well, it's getting late. Outo-san will be going to university tomorrow to get his documents so I have to be up early to make him some breakfast," Sakura broke the silence.

"Okay, do you need help?" Syaoran offered, it felt wrong for him to live like he did in Tokyo.

"No, it's okay. You need to rest too, I know work was very busy today," Sakura said, her voice softer than normal. "Good night, Li-kun," Sakura yawned, tugging Kero away from Syaoran and towards her room.

"You know what, Kinomoto?" Syaoran's voice made her turn towards his direction, confused on why she had been called out.

"You're kind of alright," he smiled before closing the door to his room.

* * *

End of Chapter.

* * *

Well, this is it for chapter 4!  
I do hope it was worth the wait :) - I made sure to write a little more than I usually do to make up for the wait!

Sadly, with good news(the update) comes the bad news: the next update should be around **December 2016** , _maybe_ earlier if I am lucky enough. The reason? I start university with an extremely heavy schedule next week, so, you know how it is. I shall be writing whenever I have free time, so don't worry, I shall complete this fic!

The college student inside of me wanted to credit the Bangladeshi newspaper, _the Daily Star_ for the little conversation that our dork Syaoran had with his father-in-law, haha. The news article is dated on the 24th of August 2016, in case anyone wants to read about it. It felt nice, having to promote my country a bit! :D

This goes without saying but thank you so much for giving this fic a lot of love! I hope I succeed in making your day a little better with my words! Thank you for the reviews, follows and the favorites! Thank you for adding me to your favorite/followed author list. You have no idea how happy you make me when I check my emails and see all your encouraging words!  
I'd also like to thank **ivory-sword** and **lostinwanderland** for reading this chapter and giving me their input on it. You guys are the best!

Finally, if you want to be updated with the progress of the upcoming chapters - please don't be shy to message me on tumblr ( _flightriskedkleptomaniac)_ or even send a PM! Of course, review and tell me what you think - I look forward to it and obviously, it motivates me to write more!

Until next time!  
(8th September 2016)


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